One of my favs:

The Nite Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the cage
not a creature was stirring, not even the ferrets
the stockings were hung by the food dish with care
in the hopes that Santa Quantas would soon be there
the ferrets were all nestled snug in their beds
while visions of ferretone danced in there heads
mama in her snooze sack and I in my hammock
had just settled down for a long winters nap
when out off the cage there rose such a clatter
I sprang from my hammock to see what was the matter
away down the ramp I flew like a flash
threw open the door and ran with a dash
the moon on a breast of a new fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to the carpet below
when what to my wondering eyes should there be
but a tiny sleigh and eight reinferrets that I see
with a furry driver so lively and astonished
I knew in a moment it must be Santa Quantas
more rapid than eagles his reinferrets they came
he whistled and shouted and called them by name
now Baxter, now Kirby, now Elliott and Dodger
on Luther, on Angus, on Duncan and Gotter
to the top of the tube and down the hall
now dash away dash away now dash away all
so up to the cage top the reinferrets they flew
with a sleigh full of toys and Santa Quantas too
and then in the wink of an eye I saw
the prancing and dancing of each little paw
as I drew in my head and turned around
Santa Quantas came down the tube with a bound
he was dressed in fur from his paw to his foot
fur all tarnished with litter and soot
a bundle of toys he had flung on his back
he looked like a weasel just opening his pack
his eyes how they twinkled his dimples how merry
his cheeks were like roses his nose like strawberries
his tiny mouth drawn up like a bow
and the mitts on his paws were as white as the snow
the stump of some red licorice he held in his teeth
the aroma of it circling his head like a wreath
he had a broad face and a chubby little belly
that shook when he chattered like a bowl full of jelly
he was chubby and plump a right jolly old ferret
that I laughed when I saw him without any merit
a wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know there was nothing to dread
he spoke not a word but went straight to work
and filled the stockings and turned with a jerk
and laying a paw aside of his nose
and giving a nod up the tube he rose
he sprang to his sleigh to his reinferrets gave a whistle
and away they flew like the down of a thistle
but I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night !!!


Patty Asheuer
Editor in Chief
American Ferret Report

[Posted in FML 5817]